Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2022
569. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if it is planned to re-instate the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016; if he plans to remove the disqualification relating to persons of unsound mind being elected to Dáil Éireann, Seanad Éireann and the European Parliament; and if so, the timeframe in which this will be implemented. [4471/22]
View answerThe Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016 lapsed with the dissolution of the last Dáil.
The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill is being used to advance a number of legislative provisions required by the UNCRPD that were previously included in the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2016.
This include measures such as the role to be played by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the National Disability Authority in monitoring the implementation of the UNCRPD. It also includes measures to bolster the public sector obligation to lead on providing pathways to work for people with disabilities, by doubling the amount of people with disabilities to be employed by public bodies from 3% to 6% by 2024.
The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill will remove the prohibition on a person of 'unsound mind' from standing election to the Dáil and the Seanad. The Bill is currently being given priority drafting time.
